In recent years, cellular and/or personal communication service type mobile devices have emerged as a must-have appliance among mobile professionals and consumers alike, growing in popularity every year since they were first introduced. The public has come to accept that mobile communication service enhances business and personal communications and may contribute to personal security. Consequently, mobile communication is becoming increasingly popular.
Manufacturers have developed wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, with increasing processing power, fast approaching the computing capabilities of devices such as personal computers and personal digital assistants (“PDAs”). Because of this increased processing power, mobile stations actually can be programmed to perform a wide range of application functions, for example, related to tools for productivity enhancement, gaming, entertainment and the like.
Although originally designed and deployed to offer voice-grade telephone services, as the technologies have developed, the mobile stations and the networks that provide service through them have offered an expanding array of data communication services and other related services. For example, a Short Message Service (SMS) application allows users of mobile devices to send and receive text messages; and more recently a MMS application allows users of mobile devices to send and receive multimedia content, such as text, graphics, digital photographs, audio files and video clips, via non-real-time transmission.
SMS is a communications protocol that allows the interchange of short text messages between mobile devices. The SMS technology has facilitated the development and growth of text messaging. SMS as used on modern mobile devices was originally defined as part of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) series of standards as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters, to and from GSM mobile devices. Since then, support for the service has expanded to include alternative mobile standards such as American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks and Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), as well as satellite and landline networks. Most SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, though the standard supports other types of messaging as well.
MMS is a store and forward messaging service/standard that allows mobile devices to send/receive messages that may include any combination of multimedia objects (images, audio, video, rich text, etc). MMS is the evolution of SMS, which is a text-only messaging technology for mobile networks. MMS has been designed to at least work with mobile packet data services such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and 1x/Evolution-Data Only (EVDO).
MMS-enabled mobile devices enable subscribers to compose and send messages with one or more multimedia parts. Multimedia parts may include text, images, audio and video. Furthermore, MMS allows the sending of multiple media parts in a single message, as well as the ability to send a single message to multiple recipients.
An example of how an MMS message can be sent and received between two compatible MMS mobile devices is detailed below. However, it is understood that the network operator may vary the sequence described below.
Using an MMS compatible mobile device, the originating subscriber may create an MMS Message, either using a built-in or accessory camera, or can use images and sounds stored previously in the mobile device (and/or possibly downloaded from a web site or sent in an email). The mobile subscriber may personalize the message by adding text, a sound clip, voice to the image or any combination of the aforementioned applications. The MMS message is subsequently sent to a Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) for delivery to another mobile subscriber. If the recipient of the MMS message has an MMS compatible mobile device, then an MMS message will appear on the recipient's mobile device alerting the recipient of a new message. Even if the recipient mobile device is not switched on, the MMS Message will be stored within the operator's network and subsequently sent to the recipient as soon as they switch on their mobile device. In a non-roaming case, the subscriber may even allow an MMS Message to be downloaded automatically to their mobile device and then they would be notified and could see the Multimedia Message immediately. Furthermore, a number of MMS Messages can be stored in the subscriber's mobile device and reviewed or forwarded at a later date. When the MMS message is retrieved from the operator's network, the picture message will open on the screen, text may appear below the image and the audio may begin to play automatically. However, if the MMS message is sent to a non-compatible MMS mobile device, then the user will receive an SMS message possibly stating: “You have been sent a picture message!” The recipient may then be given a website address, and possibly a username/password on which they can view the MMS message.
As demonstrated above, traditional MMS allows subscribers unlimited Person-to-Person (P2P) messaging flexibility that did not exist in conventional SMS deployment scenarios. However, MMS has evolved beyond P2P messaging to become a multimedia entertainment and information delivery channel. Application-To-Person (A2P) and Person-To-Application (P2A) MMS provides content-driven and event-driven alerts, which are normally more time-sensitive than P2P MMS. For example, A2P may include breaking news alerts, alerts in sports, finance, traffic, politics, marketing, promotions, games, ringtone downloads, wallpaper, and off-deck MMS content (anything not offered by a carrier download). As adoption of A2P continues to accelerate, this change will create additional performance and throughput requirements on the network operator's MMS infrastructure.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary network 400 for providing MMS services, as well as several terminal devices communicating via the network.
In today's networks, a Mobile Station (MS) can be a cellular phone, personal digital assistant, personal computer or any other wireless communication device adapted to communicate with a wireless carrier network. Typically, a user will carry a mobile station as he or she travels to work, to home, and to other locations. In an operator network that offers MMS services, a user may utilize the mobile station to make voice-based calls to other users, transfer data with other users, check email, connect to the Internet, via the RAN 411 and other network elements not shown.
The RAN 411 also enables MSs 441, 443 and 445 to access the Network 401 over the air via any of the Base Stations (BSs) (BS 413 and 415). For discussion purposes, the drawing shows one such Radio Access Network (RAN) 411, although those skilled in the art will recognize that large carriers operate a number of such networks and that many countries have two or more mobile carriers that offer, or soon will offer, competing wireless/mobile packet data communication services. Through the carrier's access networks, the Overall Network 400 offers mobile communications to customers using mobile stations throughout a wide geographic area.
RAN 411 is a generic portion of the wireless network that may include a number of base stations represented in the example by BS 413 and BS 415, each of which communicates over a number of air-links with one or more of the MS(s) 441, 443 and 445, when the mobile stations are within range. Each base station typically includes several antennae mounted on a radio tower within a coverage area often referred to as a “cell.” BS 413 and BS 415 are the part of the RAN that send and receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals to/from the mobile stations that each base station currently serves.
BS 413 and BS 415 assign and reassign channels to the MS(s) 441, 443 and 445 that they serve and monitor the signal levels to recommend hand-offs to other base stations. RAN 411 is connected to Network 401 via a network (not shown) that typically includes a base station controller (not shown) or a radio network controller (not shown) functionality that controls the functions of a number of base stations and helps to manage how calls made by each mobile station are transferred (or “handed-off”) from one serving base station to another. Each wireless network equipment vender implements this function differently. Some equipment vendors have a physical entity, which they call a base station controller (not shown), while other vendors include this functionality as part of their switch (not shown).
In FIG. 4, the MS(s) 441, 443 and 445 can connect to any one of the in-range Base Stations (BS(s) 413 and 415) in order to make a call (i.e. voice) or to transfer/receive data. BS 413 and/or BS 415 provide wireless access points to the RAN 411, Network 401 and Internet 425. In FIG. 4, MSs 441 and 443 are connected to BS 413 via the air-link, and MS 445 is connected to BS 415 via the air-link. BS 413 and 415 are connected to Network 401 via other elements of the RAN 411.
Network 401 may include MMSC(s) and Internet Protocol (IP) Network 409. In FIG. 4, Network 401 includes at least MMSC-1 403, MMSC-2 405, MMSC-3 407 connected to each other via IP Network 409. Each of the MMSC-1 403, the MMSC-2 405, and the MMSC-3 407 allow messages to be exchanged between MS(s) 441, 443 and 445 and also other networks. In this current network configuration, the MMSC(s) are designed to support all types of traffic (multi-function)—P2P, person-to-email, P2A and A2P.
Network 401 is also connected to Inter-Carrier (IC) Network 451 and Email Server 441. By maintaining connections to Email Server 441, Mobile Stations connected to Network 401 may send and receive email. Furthermore, Mobile Stations connected to Network 401 may transfer data and voice with users of other operator networks via IC Network 451.
Network 401 is also connected to a Value Added Service Provider 431 (VASP 431) via Internet 425 and Logical Connections 421a, 421b and 421c through the Internet 425 (and typically through IP Network 409). Logical Connection 421a provides a logical connection from MMSC-1 403 to VASP 431. Similarly, Logical Connection 421b provides a logical connection from MMSC-2 405 to VASP 431 and Logical Connection 421c provides a logical connection from MMSC-3 407 to VASP 431.
VASP 431 is an entity that provides web content and/or services to clients, generally network providers as well as end users, without actually performing the role of the network carrier or provider. Furthermore, carriers/network operators can also represent one or more entities that utilize the VASPs in order, e.g., to provide improved content to their subscribers over their network rather than investing the capital to offer such services directly. As a result, VASP 431 receives P2A messaging requests from mobile stations and provides A2P messaging that may include breaking news alerts, alerts in sports, finance, traffic, politics, marketing, promotions, games, ringtone downloads, wallpaper, and off-deck MMS content (anything not offered by a carrier download). Hence, MSs 441, 443 and 445 may exchange data with the VASP 431 via Network 401 to send and receive P2P, A2P and P2A messaging.
In the above network configuration, the MMSC(s) are designed to support all types of traffic (multi-function)—P2P, person-to-email, P2A and A2P. However, unlike P2P traffic, A2P traffic patterns tend to be more “spiky” in busy hours, e.g., sports score alerts that are sent at specific intervals such as at the end of each quarter in a game will cause a large surge of traffic at set intervals. Large surges in network traffic affect system performance and may cause network delays. As a result, the network operator or carrier faces the challenge of how to scale the existing MMSC infrastructure to accommodate new types of traffic patterns. Hence a need exists for an alternative MMS architecture that supports P2P traffic, as well as “spiky” A2P/P2A traffic.
Furthermore, a need exists for reducing the VASP operational management complexity when operator networks are expanded. In FIG. 4, the Network 401 is connected to the VASP 431 via Logical Connections 421a, 421b and 421c. Thus, VASP 431 is individually connected to and communicates with each MMSC in the Network 409. While the number of MMSC(s) in FIG. 4 may not be large, in a practical setting the actual number of MMSC(s) utilized may be larger. Furthermore, although a single VASP is represented in FIG. 4, in a practical setting the actual number of VASPs connected to an operator's network could be quite large. Thus, the greater quantity of MMSC(s) utilized in Network 401 dramatically increases the VASP(s) operational management complexity. Therefore, when hardware or software upgrades are performed to the MMSC(s), the VASP(s) will be informed of each upgrade from each MMSC that each VASP is connected to. Additionally, when new MMSC(s) are added/removed from the Network 401, the VASP(s) will be informed/integrated of these changes through various signaling means. Furthermore, during troubleshooting, by having a number of connections between the MMSC(s) and the VASP(s), the troubleshooting is made more complex. Thus, a further need exists for reducing VASP operational management complexity when operator networks are expanded, managed and upgraded.